Nikon UK hints at 4K video plans: D4s or 1 series?

While the world of smartphones seems to be diving headfirst into 4K video, traditional camera manufacturers are taking a slightly more cautious approach to the matter. But that doesn't mean that they don't see the interest, and aren't mulling over plans. In fact, a Nikon Europe representative said as much in a recent interview, opening hopes for 4K video from Nikon cameras.

“We are aware of the need for, and request for, 4K vid...It is a bit tricky, it’s not something that we are purposefully excluding from our cameras; however we need to approach it carefully. There are high-end cameras that produce this but it just puts such a load on the equipment...For us, because consumers are demanding it we are aware of this and will be looking into it for the future.” [emphasis ours]

Keep in mind, "looking into it for the future" is a very nebulous statement, and could mean anything from CP+ on to something a few years down the line. As you might remember, Nikon's GM of Imaging Development, Tetsuya Yamamoto, told DPreview all the way back in last year's CES that they had plans to include 4K video in the 1 series.

Then we have the announcement of development on the D4s 'HD-DSLR' at this year's CES. All Imaging Resource could get from Nikon US on the matter was that "...there's some amazing, ground-breaking stuff in the D4s that we'd love to tell you about." Given it's an HD-DSLR that will have 'ground-breaking' features and it's crystal clear Nikon plans to support 4K video in the future, it's hard to believe we wouldn't see 4K on that camera.

Keep in mind that, while Canon and Panasonic have the reputation of being the bigger players in video these days, it was Nikon that first brought video to the DSLR world with their groundbreaking D90. If Nikon were the first to release a 4K DSLR at a D4 price, it could catapult them back in front of the HD-DSLR race. But the coup de grâce would be an announcement of 4K on the 1 series (per Yamamoto's interview with DPR) and the D4s.

With other companies publicly discussing their 4K video plans, it should be a very interesting year.